All posts tagged ‘Theodor Seuss Geisel’

It was March 2nd, 1904, when Theodor Seuss Geisel was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. Today we pay tribute to Dr. Seuss’ 109th birthday.

While most commonly known for his children’s books (he wrote over 60 of them), “Dr.” Seuss was both the editor-in-chief of the college newspaper and also drew more than 400 political cartoons in two years for a New York daily newspaper. It was as a college student at Dartmouth that he started signing his work “Seuss.” Once he graduated, he started signing his work as “Dr. Seuss” when submitting it to a humor magazine. After marrying, he continued to write humor and illustrate. When World War II started, he began his political cartooning. Eventually he designed and illustrated posters to support the war effort, and joined the U.S. Army, where he was the leader of the animation department.

Still, it was his children’s books that have helped beginning readers and have been enjoyed by families for several generations.

The GeekDads have their favorites. Now it’s your turn – what’s your favorite Dr. Seuss title? Tell us in the comments.

[A version of this article was published on GeekDad on this date in 2010.]

Most people know him as Dr. Seuss, but Theodor Seuss Geisel was much more than a children’s author. As a boy, much of his life was defined, for better and for worse, by his being a German-American. Later, he wrote advertising copy, political cartoons and World War II propaganda. He dabbled in children’s books along the way, but didn’t really settle on them until later on, after World War II. He then went on to write the books with which we are all familiar, plus plenty of other, lesser known ones. He championed children’s literacy and took us from Dick and Jane to a place where children actually enjoyed learning how to read.

Beyond my love of his work from when I as a kid (I still have my copy of My Book About ME all filled out), and my rediscovery of some of his works since being a parent, there is a special place in my heart for Geisel. He worked with my grandfather during the war and he was friends with my family. I have a handwritten and hand drawn Christmas note he sent to my grandfather and family from quite a while back. It’s fun to have that kind of connection.